DHAKA: Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree recognising Crimea as a sovereign state, paving the way for it to be absorbed into Russia.

The decree said it had taken into account Sunday`s referendum in Crimea, in which officials said 97% of voters backed breaking away from Ukraine.

The EU and US said the referendum was illegal and imposed sanctions on 21 officials from Russia and Ukraine.

Crimea was taken over by pro-Russian gunmen in late February.

The incursion came after President Viktor Yanukovych fled to Russia following months of street protests.

The Kremlin officially denies the gunmen are Russian soldiers, but concedes that MPs authorised Mr Putin to use force after a formal plea for help from Mr Yanukovych.

Crimea has been part of Ukraine since 1954, but much of its population is ethnic Russian.

The EU and US published separate lists of sanctions involving travel bans and asset freezes against both Russian and Ukrainian government officials and MPs.

They included Crimea`s acting leader Sergei Aksyonov and parliamentary speaker Vladimir Konstantinov.

The US list included Dmitry Rogozin, a Russian deputy prime minister, Valentina Matviyenko, head of the upper house of the Russian parliament, and Mr Yanukovych.

US President Barack Obama said in a news conference that Washington stood "ready to impose further sanctions" depending on whether Russia escalated or de-escalated the situation in Ukraine.

But he also stressed there was still a path to solve the crisis diplomatically.

Source: BBC

BDST: 0847 HRS, MAR 18, 2014